# Customize Chart Axes in Presentations Using C++

> Discover how to use Aspose.Slides for C++ to customize chart axes in PowerPoint presentations for reports and visualizations.

Source: https://docs.aspose.com/slides/cpp/chart-axis/
Updated: 2026-08-05


## **Overview**

This article explains how to customize chart axes in Aspose.Slides. It shows how to get actual axis values, swap data between axes, hide the vertical or horizontal axis for line charts, change the category axis type, set the date format for category axis values, rotate an axis title, set the axis position, and display a unit label on the value axis.

## **Get the Max Values on the Vertical Axis**
Aspose.Slides for C++ allows you to obtain the minimum and maximum values on a vertical axis. Go through these steps:

1. Create an instance of the [Presentation](https://reference.aspose.com/slides/cpp/class/aspose.slides.presentation) class.
1. Access the first slide.
1. Add a chart with default data.
1. Get the actual maximum value on the axis.
1. Get the actual minimum value on the axis.
1. Get the actual major unit of the axis.
1. Get the actual minor unit of the axis.
1. Get the actual major unit scale of the axis.
1. Get the actual minor unit scale of the axis.

This sample code—an implementation of the steps above—shows you how to get the required values in C++:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/Chart.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = System::ExplicitCast<Chart>(shapes->AddChart(ChartType::Area, 100.0f, 100.0f, 500.0f, 350.0f));
chart->ValidateChartLayout();

auto axes = chart->get_Axes();

double maxValue = axes->get_VerticalAxis()->get_ActualMaxValue();
double minValue = axes->get_VerticalAxis()->get_ActualMinValue();

double majorUnit = axes->get_HorizontalAxis()->get_ActualMajorUnit();
double minorUnit = axes->get_HorizontalAxis()->get_ActualMinorUnit();

// Saves the presentation
pres->Save(u"ErrorBars_out.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```


## **Swap the Data between Axes**
Aspose.Slides allows you to quickly swap the data between axes—the data represented on the vertical axis (y-axis) moves to the horizontal axis (x-axis) and vice versa. 

This C++ code shows you how to perform the data swap task between axes on a chart:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartData.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

// Creates empty presentation
auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = shapes->AddChart(ChartType::ClusteredColumn, 100.0f, 100.0f, 400.0f, 300.0f);

// Switches rows and columns
chart->get_ChartData()->SwitchRowColumn();

// Saves presentation
pres->Save(u"SwitchChartRowColumns_out.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Disable the Vertical Axis for Line Charts**

This C++ code shows you how to hide the vertical axis for a line chart:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = shapes->AddChart(ChartType::Line, 100.0f, 100.0f, 400.0f, 300.0f);
chart->get_Axes()->get_VerticalAxis()->set_IsVisible(false);

pres->Save(u"chart.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Disable the Horizontal Axis for Line Charts**

This code shows you how to hide the horizontal axis for a line chart:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = shapes->AddChart(ChartType::Line, 100.0f, 100.0f, 400.0f, 300.0f);
chart->get_Axes()->get_HorizontalAxis()->set_IsVisible(false);

pres->Save(u"chart.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Change a Category Axis**

Using the **set_CategoryAxisType()** method, you can specify your preferred category axis type (**date** or **text**). This code in C++ demonstrates the operation: 

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/CategoryAxisType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/TimeUnitType.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto presentation = System::MakeObject<Presentation>(u"ExistingChart.pptx");
auto chart = System::AsCast<IChart>(presentation->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes()->idx_get(0));
auto horizontalAxis = chart->get_Axes()->get_HorizontalAxis();

horizontalAxis->set_CategoryAxisType(CategoryAxisType::Date);
horizontalAxis->set_IsAutomaticMajorUnit(false);
horizontalAxis->set_MajorUnit(1);
horizontalAxis->set_MajorUnitScale(TimeUnitType::Months);

presentation->Save(u"ChangeChartCategoryAxis_out.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Set the Date Format for Category Axis Values**
Aspose.Slides for C++ allows you to set the date format for a category axis value. The operation is demonstrated in this C++ code:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/CategoryAxisType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartCategory.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartCategoryCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartData.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartDataCell.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartDataPointCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartDataWorkbook.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartSeries.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartSeriesCollection.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
#include <system/date_time.h>
#include <system/object_ext.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;
using namespace System;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto chart = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes()->AddChart(ChartType::Area, 50.0f, 50.0f, 450.0f, 300.0f);

auto wb = chart->get_ChartData()->get_ChartDataWorkbook();

wb->Clear(0);

chart->get_ChartData()->get_Series()->Clear();
auto areaCategories = chart->get_ChartData()->get_Categories();
areaCategories->Clear();
areaCategories->Add(wb->GetCell(0, u"A2", ObjectExt::Box<double>(DateTime(2015, 1, 1).ToOADate())));
areaCategories->Add(wb->GetCell(0, u"A3", ObjectExt::Box<double>(DateTime(2016, 1, 1).ToOADate())));
areaCategories->Add(wb->GetCell(0, u"A4", ObjectExt::Box<double>(DateTime(2017, 1, 1).ToOADate())));
areaCategories->Add(wb->GetCell(0, u"A5", ObjectExt::Box<double>(DateTime(2018, 1, 1).ToOADate())));

auto series = chart->get_ChartData()->get_Series()->Add(ChartType::Line);
auto dataPoints = series->get_DataPoints();
dataPoints->AddDataPointForLineSeries(wb->GetCell(0, u"B2", ObjectExt::Box<int32_t>(1)));
dataPoints->AddDataPointForLineSeries(wb->GetCell(0, u"B3", ObjectExt::Box<int32_t>(2)));
dataPoints->AddDataPointForLineSeries(wb->GetCell(0, u"B4", ObjectExt::Box<int32_t>(3)));
dataPoints->AddDataPointForLineSeries(wb->GetCell(0, u"B5", ObjectExt::Box<int32_t>(4)));

auto horizontalAxis = chart->get_Axes()->get_HorizontalAxis();
horizontalAxis->set_CategoryAxisType(CategoryAxisType::Date);
horizontalAxis->set_IsNumberFormatLinkedToSource(false);
horizontalAxis->set_NumberFormat(u"yyyy");

pres->Save(u"test.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Set the Rotation Angle for an Axis Title**
Aspose.Slides for C++ allows you to set the rotation angle for a chart axis title. This C++ code demonstrates the operation:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartTextBlockFormat.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartTextFormat.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IChartTitle.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = shapes->AddChart(ChartType::ClusteredColumn, 50.0f, 50.0f, 450.0f, 300.0f);
auto verticalAxis = chart->get_Axes()->get_VerticalAxis();
verticalAxis->set_HasTitle(true);
verticalAxis->get_Title()->get_TextFormat()->get_TextBlockFormat()->set_RotationAngle(90.0f);

pres->Save(u"test.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Set the Axis Position on a Category or Value Axis**
Aspose.Slides for C++ allows you to set the position axis in a category or value axis. This C++ code shows how to perform the task:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>();
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = shapes->AddChart(ChartType::ClusteredColumn, 50.0f, 50.0f, 450.0f, 300.0f);
chart->get_Axes()->get_HorizontalAxis()->set_AxisBetweenCategories(true);

pres->Save(u"AsposeScatterChart.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **Enable the Display Unit Label on a Chart Value Axis**
Aspose.Slides for C++ allows you to configure a chart to show a unit label on its chart value axis. This C++ code demonstrates the operation:

``` cpp
#include <DOM/Chart/ChartType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/DisplayUnitType.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxesManager.h>
#include <DOM/Chart/IAxis.h>
#include <DOM/IChart.h>
#include <DOM/IShapeCollection.h>
#include <DOM/ISlide.h>
#include <DOM/ISlideCollection.h>
#include <DOM/Presentation.h>
#include <Export/SaveFormat.h>
using namespace Aspose::Slides;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Slides::Export;

auto pres = System::MakeObject<Presentation>(u"Test.pptx");
auto shapes = pres->get_Slides()->idx_get(0)->get_Shapes();
auto chart = shapes->AddChart(ChartType::ClusteredColumn, 50.0f, 50.0f, 450.0f, 300.0f);
chart->get_Axes()->get_VerticalAxis()->set_DisplayUnit(DisplayUnitType::Millions);

pres->Save(u"Result.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
```

## **FAQ**

### How do I set the value at which one axis crosses the other (axis crossing)?

Axes provide a [crossing setting](https://reference.aspose.com/slides/cpp/aspose.slides.charts/axis/set_crosstype/): you can choose to cross at zero, at the maximum category/value, or at a specific numeric value. This is useful for shifting the X-axis up or down or for emphasizing a baseline.

### How can I position tick labels relative to the axis (alongside, outside, inside)?

Set the [label position](https://reference.aspose.com/slides/cpp/aspose.slides.charts/axis/set_majortickmark/) to "cross", "outside", or "inside". This affects readability and helps conserve space, especially on small charts.